El Warns of “BAD PEOPLE” in the $100,000 Weirdo on Maple Street Stakes

A field of ten Three-Year Old Colts and Geldings will enter the Big Apple starting gate in the $100,000 ESR Weirdo on Maple Street Stakes to be run at Seven Furlongs over the Dirt Course.

MR. MISTERIOSO – the trotter1 trained 3-Year Old Bay Colt by Quality Road is the first offspring of the stakes place Mare L’ANGELOMISTERIOSO (Street Cry) has been cruising through conditions while testing for class in a couple of stakes appearances along the way; the KY Bred enters the field off a pair of Allowance victories, the last coming at this distance while posting a career best 97 speed figure in his last start while besting EXAGGERATE MY JAMZ, who came out of this race to finish second in the G2 Gary Asher last week in New York…dangerous

NO DOUBT ITS BEN – the AUS Bred Not A Single Doubt 3-Year Old Bay Colt is out of the G1 winning mare BENNY BEING BENNY (More Than Ready), Dam of the G3 winning BENNY LOVES CANDY, and races under the Five Point Crown of the kingab stables; his career best 103 speed figure (tops in this field) in his last start, an Allowance event in Pennsylvania, was only good enough for second place money despite the outstanding performance; makes his first stakes appearance here on Saturday, but hails from a family tree that suggests a smooth transition to that level based on his Dam’s victory in the 7-furlong G1 Ode to Barbaro Stakes…one to watch

DAVID ANTONIO – the ivanyanil trained 3-Year Old Light Grey Colt by Distorted Humor out of the multi-stakes producing Mare GALLOPER (Unbridled’s Song), Dam to the G2 winning AYUNTAMIENTO, has finished ITM in 6 of 7 starts while sprinting , his lone hiccup coming in the G3 Los Angeles Prevue two races back; the KY Bred is the only other horse in the field to record a triple digit speed figure, that coming in his last start, when drawing away from an allowance field in a NY Prep; ran third to the G2 winning QUALITY WING and multi -stakes winning SUMMER INVASION in the ESR NYCowboy Juvenile Dirt Stakes as a  2yo last March and fits in nicely with these…never better

DREAM EXCHANGE – a 3-Year Old Roan by Jess’s Dream out of an Exchange Rate mare has been on the board in all of his last six starts since being Gelded and switched to the Turf for the valesa racing stables; the Florida Bred has had mixed results while racing on the Dirt, but made a good account of  himself when he was 5^th in ESR NYCowboy Juvenile Dirt Stakes finishing just 2 ½ lengths behind DAVID ANTONIO; enters the ESR feature off a win on the Turf at the claiming level, but last two Dirt appearances cast some doubt on his chances here on Saturday…in tough

DYNALAW – the nycowboy trained 3-Year Old Bay Colt by Lawman is out of a Cape Cross x Dynaformer Dam Sire; the IRE Bred makes his first Dirt appearance after 11 career Turf starts that include top three finishes in 4 Stakes appearances and a 5^th place finish against the 9^th ranked Turf 3yo LUXURY COMEBACK and 26^th ranked SEA OF FLAMES in the G3 Looking Forward Stakes in September; certainly has the class to compete here, but how will his Turf form transition onto the dirt…your call

TWIST OF EVIL – the casino trained 3-Year Old Bay Colt by Hard Spun out of a Medaglia D’oro x Seattle Slew mare makes only his 4^th career start and his first start since the ESR Champagne Reflection back in October; winner of his first two races, it was easy to see why the slotmaster was anxious to test his brilliantly bred Colt in the October feature, his only career loss; will he be able to display the brilliance of his first two starts after a lengthy layoff is the bettor’s concern…chance if ready

FIGHT FACE – the spinround trained 3 Year Old Brown Colt by Street Sense out of a Ghostzapper x Giant’s Causeway mare returns to a sprint after trying his hand at racing around two turns; two-turn debut was impressive but last two left him far back from the field, but in all fairness, the 3yo did take on older horses very early in the 3yo season, a level where not even the best 3yo’s can compete; speeds have gotten better with every start, so don’t let that last pair of races fool you, toss the last two and this one is sitting on a big race for a big price…watch the tote

PUNKIN DOCTOR Z – the 3-Year Old Bay Colt by City Zip out of stakes winning, multi-stakes producing a mare DOCTOR J. O. (Danzig), Dam of the G1 winning DOCTOR DANZIG and G3 winning THE TEACHER has been all over the map for the ace trained KY Bred; the HOT RACE Maiden winner over the Dirt followed up that start with Stakes appearance around two turns Turf ESR Wheaton Recurrence, then a Turf sprint in NW1x Alw followed by his 3yo debut in a NW4x; there is no doubt this Colt is going to be a good one, at least pedigree suggests he will, and once he settles into suitable conditions he just might prove it…not on this roller coaster

WILD RIVER NATIVE – the nextbonus trained 3-Year Old Chestnut Colt by Shackleford out of the stakes producing Mare EXCLUSIVE MATT (Forty Niner) used the Turf to Dirt angle to break his maiden in Maryland in his last start; the lightly raced KY Bred complemented his first victory with a career best 80 speed-figure in his first start beyond 5.5-furlongs; ambitiously placed, connections thought well enough of his last start to earn him a shot at the Rez feature…faces tough challenge

TOO SOON CADET – the cadet racing stables enters his 3-Year Old Bay Colt Maiden by Distorted Humor out of the G3 winning Mare GOVE VINDICATED (Vindication) into the ESR Stakes feature; making only his third career start, the impressively bred Colt has suffered a couple of bad beats and could easily be two for two with a little racing luck; connections are solid and this horse wouldn’t be here if they didn’t think he had a chance…might surprise

Handicapping the Field

There is an apparent separation in this field, MR. MISTERIOSO, NO DOUBT ITS BEN, and DAVID ANTONIO making up the trio of horses to beat in the ESR feature.  The next layer of competitors gives us too many questions to be answered.  DAVID ANTONIO and MR. MISTERIOSO have demonstrated the most ability at this level of racing while NO DOUBT ITS BEN boasts that 103 speed-figure informing all that he should not be taken lightly.

DREAM EXCHANGE and DYNALAW, and on a lesser scale PUNKIN DOCTOR Z are all likely to perform better over the Turf Course, but DYNALAW gets the edge in consideration over the other two.

TWIST OF EVIL scares me, and if it weren’t for a 5-month layoff, would be mentioned in the top paragraph with the main contenders.  I just think he needs a race and is more suited to two turns.

WILD RIVER NATIVE is coming off his best race and figures to be in top form, but faces a formidable group of three year old’s in his stakes debut.

TOO SOON CADET hails from the cadet barns and shouldn’t be ignored despite the fact he is seeking his first victory; I just don’t bet maidens against winners.

FIGHT FACE is the sneak of the field.  Last two are a complete toss, he just wasn’t going to compete against older horses in January and February, but there is something to be said for the experienced gained in each of those starts and the return to his age group makes him a very dangerous player in this field with big odds potential.

The Picks

FIGHT FACE – I’m going to go out on a limb here, he is much better than last two show

MR. MISTERIOSO – likes the distance and has a proven form

DAVID ANTONIO – last was bang up and is dangerous in here

NO DOUBT ITS BEN – must respect the ‘Beyer’ number